Fernando Torres could be set for an unlikely reunion with old Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez.

The Atletico Madrid striker is reportedly being eyed by Benitez with a view to a Newcastle United move.

Ladbrokes have tonight cut the odds on the Toon Army picking up the Atletico man to 8/1.

Reports this week had suggested the 33-year-old was set to join French outfit Rennes.

Benitez has hinted that he is not ready to walk away from Newcastle even if another difficult transfer window ends in disaster.

The Spaniard's hopes of having his business done by January 20 were dashed weeks ago and with moves for Feyenoord striker Nicolai Jorgensen and Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge having fallen by the wayside since, he faces the very real prospect of ending a frustrating month with only Chelsea midfielder Kenedy having arrived on loan.

Benitez has always been confident the Magpies could stay up if they signed the men he identified in the list he gave owner Mike Ashley and managing director Lee Charnley at the beginning of the month, and admits his task will be all the more difficult if that mission once again ends in failure.

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But asked about his future on the eve of Wednesday night's vital Premier League clash with Burnley, he said: "My future is very simple and very clear: still we have one day for doing business. After that, still we can analyse where we are.

"But I don't think that will change too much because I have a responsibility to the fans, to the players, to the club. I understand. I have been here for a while and I understand the feelings of everyone.

"But it's like this, so we have to be sure that if we go there, I am the first one that will push and give everything and then that will be an example to the players too.

"Sometimes you just have to say, 'Okay, I will do what I have to do'. I have the belief and confidence that even in the more difficult circumstances, still we can stay up and we try to think about that."

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Benitez held crisis talks with Ashley on Tuesday morning as the club's business once again came down to another late rush with their top targets having disappeared from view.

He said: "It is not the ideal situation when you have been working for months, preparing names and analysing players.

"Then you go to January 1 with a list of players and then you start with the names, the main targets that you have and after, you have to go to the 31st and you're waiting for a phone call from someone else.